The goal of this command is love, (which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.)
Summary: When Paul tells us that the goal of the command he has given to Timothy is love, he forces us to think deeply about what love is and who we are supposed to love.
Before we dive into a closer look at what Paul says in this verse, let’s step back for a moment to gain some perspective.
Paul is writing to Timothy, who is a younger carbon copy of Paul himself. Leaving Timothy in Ephesus, Paul writes to encourage Timothy to “command certain people,” probably misguided believers, not to:
- Teach false doctrines
- Waste time on myths, or
- “endless genealogies”
Now Paul says the point of this command is love.
Huh?
What do false doctrines, myths, or genealogies have to do with love?
I think that is the point Paul wants us to consider.
The “love” Paul refers to is, of course, agapē. Agapē is known as “Godly love” because it includes only what is good for both God and man. The word “agapē” conveys affection and benevolence, a willingness to sacrifice for someone, and a desire to give sacrificially.
False doctrines, myths, and genealogies all have something in common. They point our attention away from God and direct us to the people promoting the doctrines, myths, and genealogies.
Paul’s position in history is unique.
He is the intellectual bridge between the Old Testament and the New. He explains how Jesus fulfills the law and teaches Gentiles how and why they should live godly lives.
The one thing his letters struggle to convey is the experience of loving Jesus and being loved by him.
There is a reason for this.
Paul is unique not only in his mission, but in his sense of guilt. His zeal for defending the Old Ways was devastating. He hunted Christians wherever they could be found (Acts 8:1–3; 9:1–2). When he finally encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, he encountered a God whose love for him was tinged with pain (Acts 9:4, Acts 9:15-16).
Even so, Paul, the man, understood God’s love. How else can we explain these words Paul wrote to the church at Corinth?
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
The Bible tells us that we are to love God above all else and our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:27-40).
Do false doctrines, myths, or genealogies point us to God or way from him? You decide.
Application: Loving God focuses both our hearts and minds on his will.
Food for Thought: Love is messy. How can we have both loving relationships and intellectual structure?
Speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4: 15) is the challenge for the church today. Part of loving people unconditionally is telling them the truth as it relates to sin and judgment. This includes intellectual honesty. But our goal in doing this must be fueled by a deep love for people created in God’s image – and especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. Perhaps the best way to communicate love is not with words, but action.
Thank you, Rich!
Well said.
I think for many people, our intellectual structures were formed before we came to know Christ as our Lord and Savior. So in that sense, love was pursued within our understanding of love, and limited by our understanding of love. And the love that was understood was self-serving. As believers, our pursuit of love is outside of our own understanding and rooted in God’s love. Jesus tells us to love our enemies.
Matthew 5:43-44
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
I think this is impossible for someone to do outside of Christ. One would have to experience this type of love before that could offer it to another. But this is exactly what God did for us through Christ:
Romans 5:8
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
As we come to know the love of God through Christ, our capacity for love increases, and our intellect is restructured. I think this is part of “being transformed by the renewal of our mind” Paul speaks about in Romans 12.
So, we have both loving relationships and intellectual structure because love is foundational to the intellectual structure. Christ is the cornerstone. The intellectual structure is not founded on pride or self-service.
Thank you, Chris.
“… our capacity for love increases, and our intellect is restructured.”
Yes. We are transformed.
Romans 12:2
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Love is messy. How can we have both loving relationships and intellectual structure?
We are born as physical, self centered beings, concerned only for our personal well being over that of others. In time we grow and begin to become closer to, develop strong emotions, love toward others. This can become so strong, we will actually value the well being of others over our own, such as love for our family over that for others.
Gods love for all mankind is demonstrated in His patience and personal sacrifice for all mankind as He gave His only Son for our sins, and provided a path into eternal life for all who would choose to accept this sacrifice.
John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 6:45, It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.
Romans 5:8, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Over time, we develop into “aware” spiritual beings confined within physical bodies. We are called, convicted by the Holy Spirit of God and become aware our sins, Gods righteousness and judgement.
John 16:8, When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment.
This conviction of our spirits gives each of us the a vivid awareness of our sinful, true nature and where, without Jesus Christ, we will spend eternity.
It is this intellectual knowledge, given to us by God, that leads to our submission to His will over our own. Receive His peace as our desire becomes growing closer to Him, chooseing life as His instruments, to be used by Him as He speaks truth to all those He will bring into our sphere of influence.
Thank you, Ron!
That is a beautiful portrait of how growth in the Spirit leads to becoming a functioning part of the Body of Christ.